Apparatus for the production of chenille



Jan. 9, 1968 F. T. HORTAL 3,362,146

APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTI ON OF CHENILLE Filed Feb. 25, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 /2.7 INVENTOR 2:55. I FRANCISCO TULLEUDA HORTAL ATTORNEY Jan. 9, 1968 F. T. HORTAL 3,352,146

APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF CHENILLE Filed Feb. 25, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII INV ENI OR FRANCISCO TULLEUDA HOR'I'AL fi avg4 z9gwwzw ATTORNEY United States Patent M 3,362,146 APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF CHENILLE Francisco Tulleuda Hortal, Vich, Spain, assignor to United Merchants & Manufacturers, Inc., New

York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed Feb. 25, 1966, Ser. No. 530,077 5 Claims. (Cl. 5724) The present invention relates, in general, to a novel apparatus for the formation of chenille and, in particular, to an improved, efficient structure for the production of chenille in increased productivity and quality. I Chenille is a product made of a plurality of wisps of fibrous material constituting what may be termed the weft of the chenille, each of the wisps thereof being held between the convolutions or twists of a pair of threads or strands of twisted fibrous material constituting what may be termed the warp of the chenille serving as a foundation or holding medium for the cross or transverse fibrous strands of the chenille.

In prior apparatus employed in the production of chenille, it has been customary to employ a plurality of cops for feeding therefrom threads or groups of threads which are to form the weft strands of the chenille and to direct the same through suitable guide means to a hollow forming member and helically wound thereupon.

A primary object of the present invention is to eliminate the employment of a plurality of cop-s for furnishing such threads or groups of threads and to employ a single thread carrying spindle for accomplishing the same result.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a cone-shaped spindle for feeding threads or groups of threads from thereon which will form the weft strands of the chenille and to mount said spindle within a rotating housing which extends completely over and around the surface area of the thread-carrying spindle so as to contain or restrict the outward travel of the thread or group of threads to within the confines of said housing as the threads are being unwound therefrom, thereby minimizing the ballooning effects of the unwound threads occasioned by the centrifugal forces which tend to balloon such unwinding threads. In a weft thread-carrying spindle of the type employed in the present apparatus, it is not uncommon for the spindle and housing therefor to be driven at speeds upwards of 2,000 rpm. Therefore, it will readily be apparent that threads or groups of threads being unwound from such a highly rotating spindle will tend to balloon due to the centrifugal forces imposed thereon. This is very objectionable since it increases the risks of breakage of the threads or groups of threads being unwound from the spindle with ultimate increase of shut-down time of operation of the machine so as to permit for the repair or replacement of the broken threads. The structure of the present invention eliminates such ballooning of the threads, thereby minimizing the amount of shut-down time of the machine due to the repair or replacement of the broken threads occasioned by such ballooning thereof.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a brake and guide ring for the threads or group of threads being unwound from a fast rotating thread-carrying coneshaped spindle and to locate said ring in close proximity to the outlet end of a rotating housing extending over the aforesaid spindle so as to impede or arrest the outward travel of such unwinding threads from within said housing and to direct the same onto a stationary forming mandrel which extends outwardly from the housing and on which the unwinding threads or group of threads are caused to be helically wound.

3,362,146 Patented Jan. 9, 1968 In devices previously employed in the making of chenille, it was customary to provide a suitable supporting surface which had mounted thereon in any suitable mannor a plurality of units for forming such threads. These units usually consisted each of a driven rotary plate or ring having a plurality of cops mounted for independent rotation thereon for delivering threads or groups of threads through suitable guide means to a stationary forming mandrel commonly employed with such machines and to cause such threads to be helically wound thereon. As can be appreciated, the mounting of a plurality of independently rotating vcops on a positively driven rotary plate or ring can set up undesirable vibrational forces acting on the supporting surface for the units particularly if the cops are uneven in balance due to their respective weights which is determined by the amount of threads carried thereby and also by reason of the cops not being arranged in a true circle about the periphery of the rotary plate or ring on which they are rotatably mounted. Obviously, upon high speed rotation of a plate or ring carrying such unevenly weighted cops or cops improperly arranged on the periphery of the plate or ring, vibration forces are created due to the unevenness of rotation of the unit and these forces are transmitted to the supporting surface for the units. These vibrational forces are most undesirable since a supporting surface usually has thereon a plurality of the aforementioned units and the vibrational forces created thereby are oftentimes of such intensity as to call for a momentary shut-down of the operation of the units on the supporting surface so as to correct this situation either by the replacement of some of the cops or by rearranging the same on the periphery of the rotary plate or ring on which they are mounted so as to eliminate these vibrational forces which could, if permitted to continue, cause irreparable damage to the units. Of course, to correct for vibrational forces imparted to the supporting surface of the units mounted thereon necessitates the shut-down of all of the units on the support and this loss of operating time is one which is to be avoided if the units are to operate at top efliciency and to be able to produce as much chenille threads within a given period of time as they are capable of producing.

Therefore, it is another object of the present invention to minimize the vibrational forces imparted to the framework and supporting surface having thereon a plurality of units employed in the making of chenille. This is achieved in part by the employment of a single, rotating cone-shaped thread-carrying, spindle for delivering a thread or group of threads to a stationary mandrel for the formation of a chenille thread. The employment of a single spindle for delivering such thread or group of threads eliminates completely any imbalance in the rotating structure and thereby also eliminates any vibrational forces imparted thereby, resulting in increased stability of the units on a supporting surface to operate more smoothly at all times and with less resultant amount of shut-down of the units for servicing or repair thereof, due to such unbalance, all of which add to the operating efficiency of the units.

These and other objects are attained by the practice of the present invention as set forth in the following more detailed description thereof and as set forth and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the chenille forming machine showing only as much as is feasible to illustrate the principles upon which the present invention is based;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary detailed sectional view of the housing and spindle mounted therein;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged section taken on lines 33 of FIG. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary detailed sectional view showing the guide and brake ring, the guide rollers for the continuous threads and the cutting device for the helically wound threads;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the tension and cutting device; and

FIGS. 6 and 7 are elevational views of the guide rollers for the threads.

The drawings illlstrate, not only the novel features of the invention, but only as much of a conventional chenille making machine as is necessary to permit proper explanation of the invention.

The conventional parts of the machine shown include a pair of spools 10 and 11 from which are drawn warp threads 12 and 13. Threads 12 and 13 may be single threads or if desired they may comprise a plurality of single threads wound one on the other so as to present what may be termed a reinforced thread comprising a lurality of such single threads. Threads 12 and 13 are trained over suitable roller thread guides, 14, 14 journaled for rotation in any conventional manner on bearings 15, 15. An arm 16 extends from and is secured in any suitable manner to a vertical support 17 which is secured in any manner to a table or like supporting surface 18 having leg support 19 extending to a floor or other stationary surface.

Vertical support 17 also provides a means for supporting spools 20 and 21 with threads 22, 23 thereon which will hereinafter be referred to as the binder threads. Binder threads 22 and 23 are drawn from spools 20 and 21 over suitable guide rollers 24 and 25 mounted in any suitable manner on supporting arms extending from the vertical support 17, all as clearly shown in FIG. 1 0 the drawings.

The structure described above is more or less conventional in an apparatus employed in the feeding of warp and binder threads to a chenille making machine.

The improvement in machines of this type over the now presently employed machines for the production of chenille threads comprises a rotating housing 26 which is cylindrical in form and is suitably supported in operative position by a stationary support 27 on table support 18. The housing confines the unwinding threads therein during the unwinding operation and can be constructed of any material found suitable for such a structure. However, it is important that the interior surface of the housing be of extremely smooth finish so as to minimize the rupture of threads coming in contact therewith during the unwinding operation of threads housed therein.

Housing 26 is closed at one end as shown at 28 in the drawing and may comprise a double wall construction so as to impart rigidity thereto in its attachment to the stationary support 27. Mounted interiorly of the housing 26 is a rotating spindle 29 which has mounted thereon a cone-shaped cop 30 comprising a thread or a group of threads 31 wound thereon which will hereinafter be referred to as the weft threads. Spindle 29 forms an integral part of the housing 26 as shown at 32. The spindle 29, housing 26 and cop 30 are rotated by any conventional means, one such means being illustrated as a V-pulley and belt arrangement designated generally by reference character 33 in the drawings.

Mounted interiorly of the rotating spindle 29 in any known manner is a stationary hollow forming member 34. The forming member 34 is of known construction and includes thread guide channels 35 and 36 for warp or core threads 12 and 13 as shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings. The forming member 34 extends outwardly of the spindle 29 and terminates in an outward or forward end 37.

A guide and brake ring 38 is secured in any manner to a suitable bracket on the support 18. The ring 38 is positioned in close proximity to the open end 39 of the housing 26 and is preferably formed of a highly polished steel or other polished material. It should be pointed out that the ring 38 is to be constructed of such a material as will withstand wear of the strands of threads passing therethrough.

The ring 38 is mounted for adjustment in a bracket 40 and a set screw 41 or the like can be provided for firmly maintaining the ring in an adjusted position. Ring 38 is capable of adjustment with respect to the outlet end 39 of the housing 26 since, in some instances, it may be desirable to adjust the angle of disposition of such ring with respect to the outlet end of the housing 26 so as to insure for the proper and orderly deposit of the weft threads 31 traveling therethrough on the forward end 37 of the hollow forming member 34 to be helically wound thereon as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 of the drawings. The forward end 37 of the forming member 34 is of conventional construction and includes a pair of warp thread receiving grooves, one for each of said threads. The grooves extend throughout the length of the member 37 and, as it will be understood from an inspection of FIGS. 2 and 4 of the drawing, the weft threads 31 as they are being helically wound on the forward end 37 of the forming member 34 will simultaneously encircle the warp threads 12 and 13 which are being drawn therethrough.

Mounted in close proximity to the forward end 37 of the hollow forming member 34 are a series of guide rollers 42, 43 and 44. Rollers 42 and 43 are identical in structure and each are provided with a pair of grooves 45 and 46 formed in any manner on the periphery thereof. Grooves 45 and 46 are in spaced alignment with the line of travel of the warp threads 12 and 13 so as to receive such threads therein and to guide their line of travel through this portion of the machine.

Following the travel of the aforementioned warp threads 12 and 13 and the weft threads 31 past the guide rollers 42 and 43 in the manner aforesaid, the groups of threads are guided to a further roller 44 which differs in construction from the rollers 42 and 43 in that it has formed on the periphery thereof a circular continuous notch 49 which extends equi-distant between grooves 47 and 48 which are in alignment with the grooves 45 and 46 formed in rollers 42 and 43. Thus it will be seen that a plurality of guide rollers are provided for properly guiding the warp and weft threads through the machine in the making of a pair of chenille threads of the character previously referred to above.

During passage of the aforementioned threads over roller 44, a tension device 50 imparts the desired tension to the threads as will insure their being in their respective grooves 47 and 48 and to tension the same while the weft threads 31 are subjected to the cutting action of a rotary cutter blade in a manner to be described hereinafter. Tension device 51} comprises a framework 51 with a pair of rollers 52 and 53 mounted for rotation therein. Each roller 52 and 53 is provided with upstanding ribs 54, 55 which extend beyond the periphery of the rollers 52 and 53 as shown in FIGURE 5 of the drawings and are adapted to cooperate with the grooves 47 and 48 for maintaining the groups of threads in their proper position during the cutting operation. An oscillating arm 56 actuated by a suitable spring mechanism maintains a proper tension surface between rollers 52, 53 and 54.

As stated previously, intermediate roller 43 is formed identical with roller 42 and is mounted for vertical movement in a suitable block member 58. A spring 59 tensions roller 43 against the surface of rollers 42 and 44. All of the roller structures aforesaid are provided with fluted or roughened bearing surfaces so as to insure the proper drawing of threads or groups of threads therethrough.

The operation of the mechanism is as follows. Warp threads 12 and 13 are fed to the forming member 34 as aforesaid where, upon their passage through the forward end 37 thereof, they are encircled by the weft threads 31 as clearly shown in FIGURE 4 of the drawings. From thence, the combined warp and, as yet uncut weft threads are fed past the roller structures previously described with grooves 45 and 46 each accommodating a warp thread and parts of the still uncut weft threads. The portion of the still uncut weft threads which extend between the pair of warp threads extend over a central portion 60 of the rollers. Following the passage of the combined threads, as aforesaid, through rollers 42 and 43, the same are then fed to roller 44 where the Warp threads 12 and 13 will engage in grooves 47 and 48 and the central portion of the weft threads extending therebetween are severed as by a rotating cutter 61 operating in the notch 49. Binder threads 22 and 23 are fed to roller 44 and there combine with the warp threads 12 and 13 and with the cut weft threads 31. Thereupon, a suitable fiyer mechanism 62, 63 imparts a twisting action to the warp and binder threads to firmly secure the weft threads therebetween and to extend transversely thereof so as to present an outward fluffy appearance.

From an understanding of the invention as described in detail hereabove, it will be readily apparent that the apparatus provided accomplishes all of the results set forth in detail, in the objects of the invention set forth hereinbefore. The elimination of a rotating bobbin supporting plate or ring and replacing the same with a single coneshaped thread-carrying cop provides for the elimination of the vibrational forces normally imparted to the supporting surface when the aforesaid bobbin-carrying plate is employed. Also, by placing the single weft-carrying cop Within the confines of a rotating member which extends completely around the cop, the threads which are unwound therefrom are prevented from ballooning outwardly thereby minimizing the breakage of threads due to such ballooning. The guide and brake ring serves a dual function, one being that of retarding the forward travel of the unwinding threads from the cop and, secondly, it directs such thread or threads onto a suitably placed former mechanism commonly employed in machines for making chenille.

Thus, it will be seen that chenille can be economically produced by the employment of an apparatus of the type described herein.

What is claimed is:

1. A chenille forming apparatus comprising a hollow rotary spindle, a cone-shaped, thread-carrying cop mounted on said spindle, a stationary former member extending outwardly from within said spindle, a housing having an open and a closed end extending over said cop for confining threads therein as they are unwound from said cop and a brake and guide ring mounted in close proximity to the open end of said housing for limiting the outward travel of said unwinding threads and to direct the same to a former member for proper winding thereon.

2. The structure recited in claim 1 wherein said brake and guide ring is adjustably mounted with respect to said housing.

3. The structure recited in claim 1 wherein said housing comprises a rotating cylindrical member extending coaxially with said spindle.

4. The structure recited in claim 1 wherein the coneshaped thread-carrying cop comprises the sole means for the supply of the weft of the chenille.

5. The structure recited in claim 1 wherein said brake and guide ring extends over and surrounds the outlet end of said forming member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,687,942 10 1928 Kriegl 57-24 2,491,292 12/ 1949 Wilmsen 57--24 2,576,430 11/1951 Weller 57-24 2,684,565 7/1954 Hortal 5724 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,276,098 10/1961 France.

FRANK I. COHEN, Primary Examiner.

D. E. WATKINS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A CHENILLE FORMING APPARATUS COMPRISING A HOLLOW ROTARY SPINDLE, A CONE-SHAPED, THREAD-CARRYING COP MOUNTED ON SAID SPINDLE, A STATIONARY FORMER MEMBER EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM WITHIN SAID SPINDLE, A HOUSING HAVING AN OPEN AND A CLOSED END EXTENDING OVER SAID COP FOR CONFINING THREADS THEREIN AS THEY ARE UNWOUND FROM SAID COP AND A BRAKE AND GUIDE RING MOUNTED IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE OPEN END OF SAID HOUSING FOR LIMITING THE OUTWARD TRAVEL OF SAID UNWINDING THREADS AND TO DIRECT THE SAME TO A FORMER MEMBER FOR PROPER WINDING THEREON. 